Empowered: A toolkit to defend against Utah's School To Prison Pipeline

Multilingual Voting Guides

These guides are designed to help voters successfully navigate the federal elections process, from registering to vote to casting a ballot on Election Day. In addition to the basics of ballot-casting, it also includes information on eligibility and early voting, as well as the registration and voting process for military and civilians living abroad, and polling place services that make voting more accessible. Find the guides in 11 languageshere

END OF DACA: WHAT IT MEANS, WHAT ARE YOUR RIGHTS, WHAT IS BEING DONE, AND WHAT CAN YOU DO?

New Juvenile Justice Laws and Your Student-Brochure

On August 16th Racially Just Utah and our partners released brochures to empower guardians and students with information on their new rights and options available due to the recent juvenile justice reforms. Multilingual brochures coming soon! Here is the English brochure for now>>>http://www.acluutah.org/images/HB239-Brochure-English.pdf“We want to be sure that Utah’s youth, and the adults in their lives, are aware that there are new rules about how youth are to be treated when they come into contact with the juvenile justice system.”

Many youth across the state of Utah will be back in school next week. Several Utah non-profit organizations wish to remind these youth – and those who care for and about them – that positive changes have been made to Utah laws regarding the juvenile justice system.

“We want to be sure that Utah’s youth, and the adults in their lives, are aware that there are new rules about how youth are to be treated when they come into contact with the juvenile justice system,” said Lincoln Nehring, CEO of Voices for Utah Children. “These new rules should result in better outcomes for youth who find themselves being disciplined at school or appearing in court, but these reforms will only succeed if community members know about them.”The new brochure is currently available in English, with translated versions soon to be available in Spanish, Somali, Tongan and Samoan.

This is an opportunity for parents, guardians, friends and counselors to be informed and knowledgeable about how the new law requires youth to be treated, in the juvenile justice system.If you are an adult who suspects that a young person in your care or community is not being treated lawfully, or want more information about the new laws, you are encouraged to contact one of these participating community organizations, or the Utah Board of Juvenile Justice (801-538-1031).Here is a complete list of the organizations that have contributed to the creation of this informational brochure:Voices for Utah Children, YWCA Utah, Racially Just Utah, Ogden Branch NAACP, Utahns Against Hunger, Utah Coalition of La Raza, Educators for Social Justice, The Disability Law Center, The ACLU of Utah.

Misbehavior or Misdemeanor? A Report on the Utah’s School to Prison Pipeline-2017

Safe (AKA Sanctuary) School Model Resolution and resources

Racially Just Utah is hoping to serve as a resource, advisor, and sounding board for people looking to organize throughout Utah on Safe Schools. Please email us at raciallyjustutah@gmail.com to inquire about how we can partner to propose a safe school resolution in your community. One resource we are providing is a model safe school resolution that the ACLU of Utah and Racially Just Utah partnered to create. Find it here.

​Immigrant and Refugee Rights and Resources

​Racial Disparities in Utah’s Juvenile Justice System

This report explores the racial disparities that result from flaws in Utah’s current juvenile justice system and outlines specific recommendations for reform.​Racially Just Utah, in partnership with multiple community stakeholders - including the YWCA of Utah, Voices for Utah Children, The ACLU of Utah and Ogden Branch NAACP – has released a new report detailing serious racial disparities in Utah’s Juvenile Justice System. Early release copies were made available at a brief press event on Saturday, February 11, as part of the second annual Breaking the Pipeline Symposium at the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law.Access the report for freewww.acluutah.org/images/JJRD-BriefingPaper.pdf

Students: Know Your Rights

In school, young people not only learn about their constitutional rights, but they also see firsthand how those rights may be affected by the actions of others. The ACLU of Utah is dedicated to protecting the constitutional rights of students and to helping students understand their rights in school. Visit the ACLU of Utah website to learn more information and to view their complete guide to students' rights: ​www.acluutah.org/student-rights

From Fingerpaints to Fingerprints

The University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law released a 2014 report, titled "From Fingerpaints to Fingerprints: The School-to-Prison Pipeline in Utah," that revealed Utah students are being disciplined in alarmingly high numbers beginning in elementary school. Students of color, particularly American Indian students, and students with disabilities are disproportionately the target of extreme disciplinary actions, such as arrest or expulsion.

Disparities in Discipline: A look at school disciplinary actions for Utah's American Indian Students

Access the report for free here.This report was produced by Vanessa Walsh, J.D. candidate and memberof the Public Policy Clinic at the S. J. Quinney College of Law, under the supervision of Associate Professor Emily Chiang.